Tag your first files

Before you start

Use two or three ordinary files for your first attempt. They should already be in the workspace. Follow Add files and folders to the workspace first if needed.

This task adds a tag while keeping tags that are already on the files.

Prepare a one-off tagging action

1. If a preset or workflow is selected in the sidebar, choose Actions > Clear Selected Preset. This clears the current preset or workflow selection without deleting the saved item.
2. In the toolbar, open the execution timing menu beside Apply and choose Manually.
3. Choose View > Inspector > Tags. Under Controls, make sure Remove All Tags, Remove Selected Tags, and Replace Tags are all off.

There is no separate Add Tags switch. Adding tags is the default when those three switches are off.

Choose the files

1. Choose View > List View for this first attempt.
2. Click the first file you want to tag. Hold Command (⌘) while clicking any other files you want to include. If you want to tag all you don't need to select any. Tagging all is the default.
3. Check the highlighted rows and the selection count at the bottom of the workspace.

Keep only the intended files selected for this task. Clear the workspace search and review the Filters inspector if a file you expect is missing.

Choose a tag

1. In the Tags inspector, look at Selected Tags. For this first task, choose Actions > Clear Tags to empty any prepared tag selection. This does not remove tags already on your files.
2. Click Enter or search tags... and type a name, for example Sample.
3. Click the matching existing tag in the suggestion list. For a new name with no matching suggestion, press Return to create and select it.
4. Check that the intended tag appears under Selected Tags.

Return accepts a highlighted suggestion when there is one. Check the selected name before continuing.

At this point, you have prepared the tag to apply. Selecting it in this field has not yet added it to the files.

Apply the tag

1. Check the selected files, the prepared tag, and the three switches under Controls one more time.
2. Click Apply, the play-triangle button in the toolbar. Alternatively use the keyboard shortcut ⌘+Enter.
3. Wait for the operation to finish and check the status message at the bottom of the workspace.

The tag should appear with the files you selected. Tags that were already on those files remain in place.

Check the result in Finder

Open the same file's folder in Finder. Select the file and check its tags.

Little Tagger writes standard Finder tags as metadata to the original files. This operation does not move or rename them, or change their contents.

When the result is not what you expected